At One Young World this year in Dublin, something unbelievable happened.

I had attended the summit in Johannesburg the year before, and I couldn’t believe that anything would top that. But I was proven wrong, as Kruger Cowne announced on stage something you honestly won’t believe: a competition for a rising star to travel into space with XCOR Space Expeditions. Yes you read that right. One of the 1,300 One Young World 2014 delegates will win the opportunity to pioneer space travel and be one of the first people to exit this world, look back down on it from space, and then return safely back down to earth.

As a travel blogger, this is undoubtedly up my street and I have of course applied! Since the announcement, I’ve spent days and days dreaming of what it would be like to be chosen, to go through all the rigorous training and to don an astronaut’s spacesuit and jet off up into space… So as I’m feeling very optimistic and desperate to be that lucky person that Kruger Cowne and XCOR send off into space, I’ve decided to begin the story from the very beginning, and document my application too. Hopefully the selection panel at Kruger Cowne will be reading this blog post, and because of that, I’d like to give you an idea of who I am, what I’m all about, and why you should pick me as your rising star!

My name is Virginia Stuart-Taylor, I’m 25 and I’m from the UK, currently living in London. As an award-winning travel blogger, as a socially-conscious young leader, as a One Young World ambassador from both Johannesburg and Dublin, as a passionate traveller and as a global citizen, I believe I am the rising star you are seeking to send into space.

I understand that the Rising Star Programme’s key objectives go beyond promoting XCOR and drumming up publicity. Your objectives are to highlight the possibilities of space travel for ordinary people, not just rare astronauts.

You want to use this programme as a platform for an influential and inspirational young leader to speak about global issues that are in dire need of public attention. I am that person you’re looking for.

I’m the founder of this award-winning travel blog www.TheWell-TravelledPostcard.com which I created in June 2012 to inspire people to travel, explore and learn about the beautiful world in which we live. Voted as no.2 in the Top 10 Travel Blogs in 2013, I’m recognised as a figure at the forefront of the travel industry, the industry which XCOR will revolutionise with space travel.

You need someone professional, engaging and experienced as a spokesperson and with the media. The videos on my YouTube channel show you that I’m engaging in front of the camera, my growing social media following shows you that I’m influential in my field and I’m also a native English speaker who’s confident in front of a crowd. I have experience as a Brand Ambassador for global brands such as Hilton Hotels, and to find out which other big travel brands I’ve worked with, see my Contact/PR page. In terms of the media, I’m comfortable with the digital and the traditional media. I know how to engage with other millennials through the power of digital media such as YouTube and blogging and I also have experience with the traditional media after giving interviews to websites and national press including the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail.

An important part of the Rising Star Programme is to speak publicly and use this as a platform to raise awareness for important issues. My academic background is international as I studied Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and modules in International Relations at the University of Exeter, also studying Foreign Policy at the London School of Economics. With my international experience of travelling, working and living in foreign countries, in addition to my fluency in three other languages, I am the perfect candidate to speak and write about international issues, such as climate change, peace and conflict, gender inequality, migration and the impacts of globalisation, among other issues. I represent a generation of young people that are empowered to create their own future and passionate about solving the issues threatening our planet. To find out more about me, about where and why I’ve travelled, and to discover the meaning behind the name of my blog, The Well-Travelled Postcard, see my About page.

So what can I offer to the Rising Star Programme over and above the other candidates?

I’m a passionate advocate for all things travel. I’m adventurous, fearless and addicted to adrenaline! I’m itching to travel into space and be a pioneer in the future of travel. Through my travel blog I will record every step of the Rising Star Programme with video diaries, blog posts, Instagram photos, Tweets and Facebook posts, raising the profile of the programme and the organisations involved through my rapidly-growing 20,000+ loyal monthly readership. The Rising Star Programme is a phenomenal and fascinating story to tell, and I’ve already begun the storytelling by writing my first blog post about the competition right here.

With that, I invite you to explore my blog The Well-Travelled Postcard and find out more about who I am, why I’m so passionate about travel and why you should pick me. I look forward to meeting you and hopefully starting this incredible journey into space!

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About The Well-Travelled Postcard

Welcome! I'm Virginia, a travel blogger, Master's student, languages graduate and serial expat from the UK, and travel is an utterly fundamental part of who I am. I hope to inspire you to get out and explore the world, through helping you find opportunities to travel, work, study and live abroad, and by sharing some of the amazing places I’ve encountered so far! Click here to find out more...